How it works: Slap the patch on your skin in the a.m. for a steady, daylong stream of nicotine. Patches come in varying strengths to wean smokers over an 8- to 10-week period.

Best for: Guys who smoke 24-7. Men have had more success with nicotine-replacement products than women have, says Michael Fiore, M.D., director of the Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention at the University of Wisconsin. "Consider using the patch as a round-the-clock source of nicotine and either the nicotine lozenge, gum, or inhaler for sudden urges."

Boosts your odds: 2.8 times

BUPROPION (RX)

Alias: Zyban

How it works: Swallow this pill and it will increase production of dopamine, a neurochemical that drops in people who quit smoking. Smokers typically take two pills a day for 8 to 12 weeks and try to quit completely after the first week.

Best for: Nicotine-replacement-therapy dropouts, or people prone to depression or weight gain. "Zyban, like nicotine gum, has been shown to blunt weight gain," Dr. Fiore says. Use Zyban with the gum, the lozenge, or the inhaler and you may have a better shot at weathering situations that might have driven you to smoke in the past.

Boosts your odds: 3.7 times

NICOTINE POLACRILEX GUM (OTC)

Alias: Nicorette

How it works: Alternate between chewing and "parking" the gum in one side of your mouth for an even dose of nicotine over a half hour. Treatment starts at nine pieces daily (every 1 to 2 hours) and decreases in strength and frequency over 12 weeks.

Best for: People who put on the pounds when they put down the smokes. "The 4-milligram gum has been shown to delay this weight gain," says Dr. Fiore. It also works well for those with strong situational urges to smoke, such as after a meal or sex, since the gum can squelch sudden cravings.

Boosts your odds: 2.7 times

NICOTINE POLACRILEX LOZENGES (OTC)

Alias: Commit

How it works: Identical to the gum in every way, except that you get your half-hour nic fix by sucking instead of chewing.

Best for: Both daily and sporadic smokers who can't use the gum because it will stick to their dental work or upset their stomachs. Also, those who don't want to deal with having to control the release of the nicotine. "The nicotine lozenge is great because you don't have to worry about the chew-and-park requirement of the gum, and you still get all the benefits of the medicine for controlling urges," Dr. Fiore says.

Boosts your odds: 3 times

NICOTINE INHALATION SYSTEM (RX)

Alias: Nicotrol

How it works: Take a drag from this cigarette-shaped device and nicotine-infused vapors (4 mg total from 20 minutes of "puffing") will be absorbed in your mouth and throat. Users puff six to 16 nicotine cartridges a day for as long as 6 months.

Best for: Smokers hooked on the hand-to-mouth routine."They want to have something in their hands and in their mouths, and for those people, the nicotine inhaler is a great choice," Dr. Fiore says. It tastes similar to a cigarette and kind of looks like one, so it can work well for situational smokers.

Boosts your odds: 3.1 times

NICOTINE NASAL SPRAY (Rx)

Alias: Nicotrol NS

How it works: One spray into each nostril adds up to a 1-mg dose of nicotine that enters your bloodstream in 5 minutes. It can be used up to five times per hour, for as long as 6 months.

Best for: Heavy smokers-- as measured in packs, not pounds. "The nasal spray delivers nicotine faster than anything else on the market," says Jed Rose, Ph.D., chief of the nicotine research program at Duke University. The downside is that the initial effect is very irritating. Still, if you smoke a few packs a day, it might be worth the burn.

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